Tender
by Padfoot's Pawprint
Summary: He gave a soft smile before kissing her forehead and tucking her under his chin, resigning himself to sleep. Being tender had never felt so good. ONESHOT


**Okay, so here's the deal**

**i lost my USB with all my stories and I had this booked for Valentine's Day which I have obviously missed**

**so, here is the story that I intended for that**

**it's kinda weird, i know, but please put in your feedback**

**thanks [:**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Soul Eater**

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**Tender**

If there was one word Soul would never have used to describe himself it would be tender. However, an exception would have to be made as he was feeling very tender that very moment in time. In fact, he felt tender just about everywhere, especially in and around the upper half of his body, and all thanks to a first year who didn't know his place. He felt terribly sore, wincing when his partner dabbed at the growing bruises.

"Watch it," he hissed, and she shot him a glare.

He growled, sinking deeper into the pillows. Maka had brought him home after the fight without nagging at him. To be honest, her silence scared him more than if she had just raged at him, which he was still technically expecting. She was upset at him, that much was clear, and he wanted to resolve this before it turned into another week of bitter words, bad food and a staggered resonance.

"I told you it wasn't my fault," he started but she cut him off.

"Not your fault? You have the kid a broken nose and probably a lot of therapy bills. And _don't_," she said quickly when she saw him open his mouth, "say it was legitimate. It wasn't."

"Maka, the kid was asking for it," he said, "practically begging me to fight him and who was I to refuse him?'

"You are my weapon partner with, now, a week's suspension. That doesn't look good on a resume, Soul."

"You're not looking for a job," he said quietly and then yelped when she pressed the cloth against his right cheek.

"Serves you right," she muttered, but her hands soothed his cheek, the cloth lighter and soft on his raw skin. "What were you thinking? You were fine at lunch. You even told me that you wouldn't fight him or show up."

"Well that was before the little shit-"

"Soul!"

"What? He was a shit! He thought he was so much better than anyone and-"

"Black*Star thinks he's better than everyone too but I don't see you challenging him."

"Black*Star is my friend. That doesn't count."

"Well then maybe you need to make friends with the freshmen. Most of them don't even have partners yet. The NOT class is full of kids like that."

"I know that," he said, "I also know the kid was a weapon type that thought fighting would get him a partner faster. Black*Star challenges people to better himself. It's so he can get stronger. This kid thought fighting me could give him a better chance at getting a partner." He snorted at the memory. The kid was taller than Soul when he slouched which was often. Soul supposed he must have looked like an easy target at the time, and grinned at the thought of the boy being nursed back to health by Stein.

A sudden pressure on his bruised cheek made him flinch and he looked over at his partner. "_What_?"

"I don't think you should be feeling so accomplished when you're roughed up like this."

"I'm not 'roughed up'," he protested as she left him to get some more ice. "Bruises, a bleeding nose and a couple scrapes don't equal 'roughed up'."

"Really?" she said skeptically, returning with a towel covering the ice pack. "Because it looks like that to me, cool guy."

He growled and took the pack with a silent thank you before continuing. "They all jumped me, Maka. Don't think that kid did this on his own."

"They _what_?"

"Jumped me," he said, placing the pack on his head gently. "All six of them. I was lucky 'Star was there or I might have actually been roughed up."

"What a jerk," she said, sitting next to him. He shifted to make room for her before placing his legs across her lap. "You really shouldn't have fought him if he was going to do that."

"Well, I didn't _know_ at the time, now did I?" He watched her pink, embarrassed, and he chuckled. Yes, she was definitely worth fighting for. "Besides, he got what he deserved."

She sighed. "Poor thing."

"Poor th- Maka, _really_?"groaned Soul. "Don't feel bad for him. He was a shit that needed to learn his God-given place in the world. Now, he won't screw with me or 'Star again."

"What did he do anyway? So he said some stuff at lunch, so what? You're normally far more tolerant of those kinds of kids. Were you having an off day?"

He looked away, massaging the top of his head with the ice pack. "I told you; he was cocky and-"

"Hiro was cocky. Black*Star is cocky. You lose your cool on some kid and for what? A bump on the head? There's something else," she said thoughtfully. "So what was it?"

"Maka, can we not-?"

"No, we have to." Soul sent her a withered look. "Please, I just...I need to understand why you weren't acting like yourself. I can see it in your soul. You're hiding something from me."

"You don't want to hear it," he mumbled, eyes down.

"Yes, I do." He was surprised at her intensity. "I don't care."

"You will," he said, staring everywhere and anywhere but her. He had always been one to ignore the rumours of other people. Shibusen was full of talk about him, both good and bad, and he couldn't care less about them. Maka on the other hand...

"Just tell me," she said. "Please?"

He sighed heavily. "You don't know what you're asking."

"I do," she said, "trust me."

He turned his eyes to her, frowning. "They were smack talking us."

"People always do that," she dismissed, hands folded over his legs.

"Not exactly," he said. "He wasn't just talking shit about my family; you know my family means nothing to me. It was about your family."

"What did he say?" she asked slowly. He stared at her intently, gauging her reactions.

"It was about your dad. Nothing new," he said as he watched her narrow her eyes.

"Soul-"

"It wasn't a big deal. He shouldn't have said shit."

"Soul!"

He groaned. "He made a comment about how our families are screwed up, and..." He took a breath. "That the only reason I chose you as my partner was to do the stupid shit your dad did to get divorced."

She stared at him. "Wha-"

"I'm sorry," he said softly. "I know you don't want fighting, but he deserved it and I sure as hell don't regret it. You're not the sort of girl that sleeps with guys. You're nothing like your dad, I know that." He shut his eyes and leaned back into the pillows. "When I see the brat next time, I'll probably knock his face in again, that's for sure."

He heard her move, slipping out from under his legs to stand. He expected a reprimand from her. Perhaps she would be as upset as expected and confine herself to her room.

Instead, he felt a pressure on the couch near his hip and he realized Maka was hugging him. Her face was buried in his neck, and as his hands came up to her back, he heard her whisper her thanks. He smiled a bit and rubbed his meister's back soothingly. She was going to cry, he knew. Soul could hear it in her voice when she spoke with every shaky breath on his neck.

"Don't cry on me," he said lightly. "I'm a scythe, not a tissue box." She just tightened her hold on him and Soul felt something wet on his collar. "Why do you do this?" he groaned theatrically, making her hand clench his shirt. "I was hoping to avoid this when I beat him up."

He heard a hiccup of laughter amongst the tears and after a few moments she pulled back. Soul moved her so his chest acted like a pillow. "You're crazy," she said, "you know that, right?"

"Of course, I'm insane," he said, his fingers deciding to play with her hair. "I thought you knew."

She hummed, making herself comfortable. It was stolen moments like this that he had come to savour, he found, as they only came when they were alone. As much as they loved to dismiss it, Soul and Maka had small moments like this often when they were in private. They didn't do what Black*Star suggested, and they sure as hell weren't doing what the NOT kid thought. Instead, it was just the two of them in a house with secret double meanings and sweet, soft actions that hinted to something more than a platonic relationship.

He shut his eyes again, the ice pack sandwiched between his head and a pillow while his hand moved to her back, rubbing it softly. He could feel her relax, the way her shoulders drooped and the hand on his shirt wasn't as tight. Her breathing slowed and Soul was almost certain she would fall asleep. Instead, her hand reached for his and she ran her fingers over his skin. "You're a good friend," she said softly, and Soul's heart clenched a moment. _Friend..._ "I don't deserve it," she said, bringing his hand close to her body until he felt warmth engulf his hand.

She was holding it close to her heart, he thought, and he felt blood rush to his cheeks at a second realization. He shut his eyes tighter, trying to dispel the feeling. "You're right. You deserve better." At that, he felt her rise from his chest and Soul felt the slightest pressure on his cheek. He wanted to open his eyes to see if what he felt was what he thought but he didn't dare. What would he say if it were true? And if it wasn't, would she deny it as she often did?

"Thank you," she said, moving her head back to his chest, an ear above his heart.

"That's what partners do," said Soul as calmly as he could before groaning as an unwanted memory bubbled to the surface. "Stein's gonna murder me."

"Why?"

"I gave him a piece of shit patient _and_ I still owe him that paper."

"You didn't hand that in yet?"

Soul snorted. "Of course not. Being a cool guy comes with privileges, you know? Oh wait, I guess you don't." She growled and he chuckled.

"If that's the case, we'd better get started."

He felt her start to stand and quickly grabbed her back, trying his best to keep the ice pack in place. "Where do you think you're going?"

"If Stein doesn't get that paper, Soul, he's going to _kill_ you."

"But if we do that now, we can't do it later."

"Exactly. We'll have time to relax later after it's done."

"But I'm injured," he whined, holding her tighter, absorbing all of her weight with ease. "You need to stay here and treat me."

"Treat you? If you need a doctor, I'm sure Professor Stein will-"

"You're a much better doctor than me," Soul assured her, "and I trust you to not cut me open in my sleep."

"That much I can guarantee," she laughed softly, settling back down. "But if you want me here, I'm going to need more space."

"Fatty," he scoffed, but scooted over, giving her part of the couch.

The outside part.

"Soul, I'm going to fall."

"Really? I hadn't realized."

"Soul, I'm serious," she said, clinging to his shirt and, as he had planned, clinging to him. "This isn't funny," she warned, managing to wrap her legs around one of his own. He smirked at her desperation, humming contently as he pulled her close to his chest as one might hold a stuffed animal. She huffed, annoyed, but snuggled closer to him.

He gave a soft smile before kissing her forehead softly and tucking her under his chin, resigning himself to sleep.

Being tender had never felt so good.

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**Did you guys like it? I hope so**

**i based it off the idea of a friend of mine that actually got into a fist fight with a first year**

**only it was over budding in the caf instead**

**...it's days like this when i wish i had a life**

**or a boyfriend**

**or both xD**

**please R&R**


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